The Untold Story
by Lily in Wonderland
Summary: Henry has been kidnapped by Greg and Tamara, the Jolly Rogers is gone, with Hook aboard. Regina and the Charmings are sure that there is no hope to get Henry back, but Gold thinks that maybe there is still someone in Storybrooke that can help them, someone who is in possession of an item able to travel between the worlds and to take them where they need.
1. The Fox

**A/N: This is my first FanFiction and I'm really nervous about it… also English isn't my first language so I apologize if there are any mistakes. The story takes place right after the ending of S2 but it develops in a different way. Tamara and Greg didn't take Henry to Neverland, but to another land. I will take some hint from the third season anyway. Soon it will be a crossover.**

The Untold Story

Chapter One: The Fox

_Storybrooke present day_.

"You are the Dark One. Do something!" Charming was holding Emma by her shoulders, stopping her from jumping in the water after she had saw her son being sucked in a portal with his kidnappers: Greg and Tamara.

Mr. Gold had just arrived with Belle at his side, unaware of what had just happened.

"Gold, help us." Emma's voice was the one of a mother frightened by the idea of not being able to see his son again, but Gold's answer did nothing but let her even hopeless.

"So that's it? He's gone forever?" Regina crossed her arms at her chest, looking at the horizon like in the search for an answer from the see, an answer that never came.

It was Snow White's voice that diverted her from her thoughts. "We won't achieve anything standing here doing nothing. We have to find out where them have brought him, then we can find a way to go and get him back." Even if Regina hated it, she was right. She looked back at the improbable team she had found herself to be a part of, it seemed like the only way she had to take her son back was to cooperate with the idiots.

"I can provide for that." With these words Gold turned his back and raised his hand in a silent signal to follow him and, a little hesitant, one by one they left the pier.

Gold brought them to his shop, where he reached for a little white globe that he immediately put on the counter. Under their curious and impatient eyes, he stung his right index's fingertip and let a single drop of blood to fall on the white surface.

His blood seemed to be absorbed and it started to form strange shapes that covered the entire globe.

"Where did they brought Henry?" Regina broke the silence, impatient to know where her son was.

"Wonderland." Answered Gold, and an imperceptible smile grew on his face, because in their misfortune the had been lucky.

"What are you smiling for? You know how to reach this place?" Charming walked away from his daughter to reach the other man's side, keeping his eyes on the globe that was returning to its normal appearance.

"I don't, but maybe here in Storybrooke there's someone who can." His enigmatic tone was upsetting Emma, who shook her head irritated.

"No. Jefferson's hat is gone. We can't use it."

"He isn't talking about Jefferson's hat." Surprisingly it wasn't Gold talking but Regina that had distanced herself from the group and crossed her arms to her chest, turning her back to the rest of them. "She won't help us."

She wanted to save her son at any cost, but she doubted this was the right way.

Snow looked at her daughter and her husband, then turned to Regina. "It doesn't matter if she will help us or not, we can stole this item from her."

Regina raised her eyebrow, turning back to them. She knew that it was impossible to steal from a thief, even with her magic. Probably the item was protected by some kind of spell and before being able to break it, Henry could have been killed.

"No. I've already tried to put my hands on it." Said Gold with a bitter tone and an enigmatic smile on his face, then he turned around the counter, where the others were standing. "I tried to take it for my collection, but with or without magic, I couldn't. If we want it, we have to ask for it." With these words he left the shop, followed by Belle who stopped him. "But… if you can't steal it and, whoever this person is, won't give it to you, how will you get it?" She asked when the rest of the group reached them.

"Enough with those games, Gold. Tell us what we have to do." Charming pointed his finger at him, his voice revealing his irritation.

Gold turned to Belle and Snow. "Come with me, maybe there's someone who can help us." Then he turned to the Queen, Emma and Charming. "Go to The Rabbit Hole and wait for us. She'll probably be there."

With Snow driving Charming's jeep, they shortly reached the place Gold guided them to. She parked the car in front of a big, beautiful house, and she noticed with surprise that she already knew that place.

She got out of the car and moved a couple of steps ahead, admiring the house while Gold and Bell reached her out of the vehicle. The young girl broke the silence, and her stare and voice betrayed her confusion. "Who's house is that?"

"Jefferson's." Answered Snow, looking herself with confusion at Gold. "But Emma was right. His hat is useless."

Gold smiled to her, walking toward the stairs, thinking how it would be problematic considering his leg. "We don't need Jefferson for his hat, dearie. He is our pass."

Emma, Regina and Charming were walking down the stairs of the most popular bar in the town. It was half empty at the moment, unusual for the place. But it was understandable. Up to one hour before Storybrooke was struck by earthquakes and other disasters, that suddenly stopped, leaving everything back to normality. Many were there to drink a toast to the avoided end of the world.

Nobody knew that Tamara and Greg hadn't left alone, that Storybrooke was safe but a child had been kidnapped. Probably three-quarters of the clients, maybe more, wouldn't have cared anyway.

That thought was bothering Regina who, with her hands in the pockets of her coat and her head bent ahead, was now walking through the bar followed by father and daughter, sitting at one of the most isolated and hidden tables.

"Tell me again why are we here wasting our time." The blonde's voice was a little too altered for her taste, so she merely answered with a glare while the woman sat in front of her, next to her father.

Regina's eyes wandered around the room, searching for someone and when she found who she was looking for, her eyes widened a little. She remained with an empty look in her eyes for a moment, Gold was right. It wasn't a big surprise after all, the person she was looking at was the owner of the bar.

"We are here to wait for Gold." She said at last, looking away. "And because the person we need is four tables behind you." She added with a sharp voice, moving her hair away from her face and looking at the stairs, she never wished so hard to see Snow White's face again in her whole life.

The icy stare that the man was giving them was terrifying. Jefferson had opened the door and finding himself facing the unusual trio, he almost slammed it in their faces. Gold had expected it and cleverly insert the tip of his stick between the door and the jamb. "It's a favor that I'm asking, Jefferson. I will owe you one..." He tried, but it didn't work, and now the man was once again in front of them, piercing Belle with his eyes.

Moving only his head, his gray eyes shifted from Belle to Gold, while his jaw tightened. "I helped you once before, didn't I? I don't see why I should do it again." He continued with the same tone, clearly referring to the time he released the girl from Regina's imprisonment.

Gold lowered his head, hiding a smile and licking his lower lip with the tip of his tongue. He knew this would be difficult, this is why he'd brought with him two person as charitable as Belle and Snow.

It was the latter who talked, moving forward and looking at Jefferson pleadingly. "Please. We're talking about my grandson. He's been kidnapped and we have no idea of what they will do to him if we don't do something now."

Faith wanted that in that moment the young Grace appeared behind the man, curious about all the noise they were making. "Dad, what's going on?" She asked but Jefferson reassured her with a gesture before turning back to look at the three, still standing at the door.

Snow continued persistently. "What would you do if it was your daughter in Henry's place?" At these words Jefferson's look wavered and Gold understood that they were on the right track to reach their purpose. But he couldn't be the one insisting. He wouldn't be credible.

"Do you have an idea of what are you asking me to do? Going back there..."

Snow nodded, understanding, without stopping staring at him with a compassionate look. She truly understood all doubts that afflicted the man in front of her and she knew it wouldn't be easy, but she couldn't let Henry to be hurt and this was the only way they had to help him. "I know, I'm sorry but there is no other way. We need your help Jefferson. You know Wonderland better than anyone else, we can't go there without a guide."

She didn't know what was Gold's plan, but she had to try, she had to convince Jefferson to join them in order to protect her family.

Belle exchanged a quick glance with Gold, then she turned back to Jefferson with an unsteady voice. "I- I'll have to stay here. Grace could stay with me, she'll be fine, I promise. "

Jefferson closed his eyes for a moment, breathing heavily. There was no way to escape, if he'd said no one more time Gold would have probably cast some kind of spell on him to make him change his mind and force him to join them. He could consider himself lucky enough to have endured so much. It was true, he would have done anything to save his daughter. He brought his gaze back on Belle who was watching him worriedly. "Okay." He said finally, and Snow smiled happily. "But how do we get there? My hat is unusable. "

Gold motioned for him to come out and Jefferson and the girl left the house. She was worried and looked uncertainly to his father while they made their way to the jeep.

"That's another issue but we will solve it quickly. She will listen to you." said the Dark One with his usual smile.

Jefferson stopped immediately before entering the car, he thought he'd heard wrong but from the look on Gold's face, he realized that he didn't. It wasn't possible, if they already had her, then why did they need his help in Wonderland? Resigned, he helped his daughter to get into the car and as they were leaving, he began to explain what had happened.

"The blonde one or the brunette?" Asked Charming as he turned unceremoniously to look in the direction where Regina's gaze were fixed. Four tables away, as she had said, two women were sitting. One had wavy, long, dark hair while the other one had short blond hair that reached her shoulders. They seemed intent on chatting quietly with their drinks in their hands.

This reminded Emma that it was the third time that they sent the waiter back, soon he would started to be suspicious and they would be asked to leave the bar. Regina was becoming impatient, she barely tolerate the company of the Savior and Prince Charming, but she stayed because it was for Henry that she was doing it. "The brunette." Replied absently as she looked at them. Her eyes stopped on the woman who was now bringing the glass to her lips smiling and nodding to what the other had just said.

"So..." Emma started, following the gaze of the other two and finding the subject of the conversation. "When Gold said 'Wonderland' did he actually meant that Wonderland? I mean… Alice in Wonderland?" She concluded, turning back to Regina and so did Charming, but the other woman hadn't looked away or either answered, because her mind was lost in memories buried many years before.

_Enchanted Forest many years ago_.

The smell of the stable filled her nostrils as she carefully brushed the dark mantle of her horse, Rocinante.

Regina got off the stool that helped her get to the horse's back and turned with an outstretched hand. "Lily, can you hand me the saddle?"

The other girl stood up from the ground, sweeping off the dust and the mud from her clothes with her hands. She grabbed the saddle and gave it to Regina, before she fixed her long and dark hair to one side of her shoulders. "How's the trot?"

"Better than the gallop..." admitted a young Regina, adjusting the saddle on the horse's back and began to fasten the several belts.

Lily smiled amused going to one of the other horses in the barn and, taking a brush, she slowly started to take care of its mantle. "So at least you're able to keep riding."

The girl used to work at the stables, at the presence of any other member of the royal family she would never behaved like that, or talked in a so colloquial way, but only three days were enough for her to understand that Regina was different and now they were friends.

"Has your father recovered?" Those words took Lily by surprise, she looked up from the horse she was brushing, then she shook her head.

"No, the doctor said it was a bad fall and that he doubts that my father will be able to get up before at least three months." She wiped the sweat from her forehead, the job at the stables was the only thing that allowed her and her family to eat, as well as some trade at the market of the village, but after a bad fall from his horse, her father was no longer able to do his job. "But tomorrow my brother Daniel will take his place at the stables and my mother will go to the market."

"I'm sorry, I hope he gets better soon ..." with those words Regina finished fixing the strings and she climbed into the saddle. Lily left the horse that she was combing to get to the other girl, then she took the reins and began to lead the horse out of the barn.

Getting out in the sunlight was a breath of fresh air, as Lily walked to a crawl, the horse followed her quietly. Regina's voice distracted her from her thoughts, making her return to earth. "Are you still sure you want to leave?"

Lily knew that that sentence thrown out, with distraction, was actually a targeted question and meant to take her by surprise. She was clever and did not fall into the trap, she'd spoken with Regina of that desire.

She wanted to go away, leave the Enchanted Forest and find a new place in the world.

Life there was not bad, she was fine and surrounded by people who loved her, yet she felt like a stranger; it was like if that place did not belong to her, like there was something else waiting for her and she wanted to deepen that feeling.

Regina, however, seemed far too interested in that issue from the beginning and she was not so sure that she want to share a thought so personal with someone else, so she just raised her head toward the other girl and smiled. "I don't know… maybe."

Few days later, Lily's mother received a strange request at the market. A pony, a single pony to be delivered in a land not too far from there. Well, not exactly a common pony; it was one of the rarest breed: a cross between a pony and a unicorn.

That pony was the rarest specimen that belonged to her family , but they were terribly short of money and so she had accepted the trade.

Her husband wasn't able to make the journey, and her eldest son didn't wanted to leave the job at the stable, so the only one available to make the delivery was her youngest daughter.

Lily was preparing her horse to leave when another girl reached her to help her fixing the saddle. She was skinny, she had blonde hair long to the shoulders and green eyes. "Are you sure you want to go? I heard bad rumors about the castle..."

Lily pulled a string and then gave a pat on the horse's back to make him move while she took the reins in her hands. "Yes, I know... I heard that a witch lives there. Maybe this time I can finally leave." She said; then she winked to the other girl and raised on the horse's back, pointing with her head at the young black pony that was waiting quietly at the other side of the stable.

The blonde went and got it, she made it move to Lily, giving her the reins and then she moved aside. "Seriously? You want to trust a witch?"

Lily smiled and made sure that the saddle was solid on the horse's back. "I don't need to trust her. I just need my cunning skills." She reached out and spurred the horse ahead. "See you when I'm back Kitty. Keep an eye on my brother, I think he's far too interested in princess Cora's daughter." With a wink to the other girl and a shot to the reins, Lily left for her journey to the castle of the infamous witch.

After several hours of riding, the girl stopped at the entrance of an incredible manor. It was a stone castle, built on a lake. It was amazing, imposing and wonderful. She would have liked living in a palace like this, she told herself. But why a witch living in such a castle would have need a pony?

She didn't have the time to wonder that the castle's doors opened without her having said or done anything. Not afraid at all, maybe just a little curious, the girl dismounted and tied her pony's reins to a tree.

The doors closed behind her the same way they had opened before and she advanced slowly, holding the reins in her hand.

The castle was dark and cold. It was so different from princess' Cora's castle, there were no guards or servants or guests. It was so silent, maybe that was why the witch wanted the pony, she was lonely. Perfect, she thought, she could have use it at her favor.

"You are in perfect time." A voice forced her to stop and she turned finding herself facing to nothing. She turned around, hoping to find out where the voice came from, but there was no way to understand it. Resigned, she turned again toward the corridor she was walking through, followed by the pony.

"I didn't want to make a powerful woman as you waiting." She answered, her senses in alert. The corridor was long and lightened by a beautiful window overlooking the lake. She reached a salon, huge but a bit bare. The roof was very height, the walls dark and covered by muffled torches; one of the wall was covered by weapons. A big carpet covered the floor, a table was located at the center of the room with two big armchairs in front of it, behind which there was a fireplace, muffled itself.

"Leave the pet and take your gold. It's on the table, near the candlestick." Lily looked instinctively at the table, coming closer with the pony. It was true, there was a bag full of gold waiting invitingly on the mahogany's surface. But Lily didn't reach for it, she lifted her head and spoke with a clear voice. "I was actually hoping to be able to see the woman whom my mother decided to sell this precious animal to. It's an incredible rare breed, we've been waiting for years for the right buyer. Can you satisfy my curiosity?"

Lily waited, her ears were strained to pick up the smallest noise, then a voice surprised her from behind and she was forced to turn around.

"Well? Are you satisfied?" The unexpected closeness with the woman forced her to take a step back and this time she contained no wonder.

Just a step away from her the witch rose in all her splendor, wearing a fine suit of various shades of purple, the same color of the magnificent crown that was resting on her head. Her face was framed by blond curls and now her piercing blue eyes were stabbing the girl like two blades.

It was not the time to look frightened, she had to regain control. "Absolutely. Such a beautiful woman should not live alone in a big palace like this. "

The witch didn't flinch, she just reach out her hand to the girl. "The reins. Get your gold and leave. "

Lily hesitated for a moment, but then she granted her request and handed her the reins of the pony, but did not take the payment. "They say that you are a witch. Is that true?" Of course she was a witch, she thought.

On the witch's lips appeared an indecipherable smile as she scanned the girl in front of her. "And why would you like to know such a thing?"

It was time; she crossed her arms over her chest and breathed slowly, choosing the right words to use. Without lowering her gaze from the witch she tried to sound more confident than she actually was. "Because actually you look more like a fairy to me."

At those words there was a small change in the woman's look, that statement had taken her by surprise, and despite that moment lasted just a second, it didn't escape Lily's watchful eyes, so she continued on her way. "And because I'd love to learn the art of magic. You seem powerful to me, you can keep your gold, I don't care about it. Take me as an apprentice instead, as a payment for the pony. I'm smart and I learn quickly, then I definitely keep more company than a pony, even if it's rare. "

The witch stayed silent for a while, studying the girl in front of her with curious eyes "What's your name, girl?" she asked at last, using the same tone she used before.

"Lily." She replied immediately, following her with her eyes. "Your name, instead?"

"Maleficent."

Lily had to control herself to keep a straight face, it certainly wasn't an inviting name. No need to struggle to understand the reason why the witch was alone. "A beautiful name, my lady. You answered my second question but not the first, though. "

Maybe she was pushing it a bit too far with the confidence, but she didn't see resistance from the witch, so why not just keep going? She needed magic, she wanted to leave the Enchanted Forest, probably she would've needed much more than magic.

"You're smart, aren't you, girl?" Even if she had learned her name, the witch still didn't use it, it wasn't a good sign, it meant that she still kept a certain distance.

Despite that, she didn't give up and she just nodded before adding. "Yes. It is a quality that characterizes me since I was a child. They call me 'the Fox'. "

A laugh came from Maleficent's lips and an hidden smile grow on Lily's, it was almost done. She didn't have to say more, she just had to wait.

"I like clever people. Okay, I'll take you as an apprentice but be careful not to use your cunning against me or you'd prefer not having ever met me."

She alternated her job at the stable with the apprenticeship at the castle, on the first day she justified herself by saying to her mother that she'd been assaulted during the return trip, and that the money had been stolen and she also justified her constant trips with a second job.

She actually brought money at home, all thanks to the witch who had taught her a spell to grow gold coins from the trees. She didn't always succeeded and the results were poor, surely less than the witch could do, but she could anyway help her family with it.

Lily hadn't told either Regina or Kitty about the witch, because she wanted to keep that secret form them, maybe one day she'd made her friends aware of the enormous change that her life had taken, but that was not the right time.

Weeks had passed since that first meeting and Lily had learned few things about Maleficent, the witch had taught her to control her energy. Tricks of prestige, nothing more.

Light a fire, creating a fireball, move objects with the power her mind. It wasn't what Lily wanted at first, but she had to admit that it was incredibly interesting. The witch spoke to her, telling her stories of wizards and spells, hungry for companionship and the girl absorbed everything like a sponge.

Then the day she waited so much finally arrived; during one of her tall tales, the witch mentioned the existence of an item. An item able to bring someone to another world, an incredible world, wonderful.

"Does it really exist?" She asked, while she was sitting on the armchair in the precious living room of the witch.

Maleficent, sitting on the other chair gave her a look of approval. Lily had seemed, since the very first day that they had met, so curious. Maleficent appreciated her cleverness but she definitely preferred her thirst for knowledge.

The witch nodded, leaning toward the table and pouring tea into two large porcelain cups. Then she pulled up and with one hand she began to stroke the nose of the pony lazily; motioned for her to take the cup.

Lily reached out to take it, but Maleficent lifted her fingers and Lily felt her in a choke hold. "Not like _that_." Warned the witch and the Lily's chocolate eyes expressed themselves in a silent expression of pain before Maleficent let her go.

Her teaching methods weren't the friendliest, but by a person with that name Lily couldn't expect anything different. She breathed floor and opened the palm of her hand, pointing it toward the cup which rose from the table and began to fluctuate dangerously towards her, spilling hot tea on the wooden surface. It arrived in her hands shortly after, while the witch took her cup and began to sip.

"This item. You said that it exist, but what is it? Where is it?" Lily repeated, bringing the cup to her lips and looking hopefully at Maleficent, after her performance of magic she knew she deserved a reward, which was not long in coming.

"A looking glass. An enchanted mirror that can make you travel only between two worlds, and it is in my possession. "

At those words, uttered with pride and vanity, Lily couldn't help but react with an amazed sigh, she put her cup down and leaned forward toward the witch, giving her a look of admiration and hope. It didn't seem real, she'd waited and her patience had been rewarded. "Can I see it?"

_Storybrooke present day_.

Gold entered the bar called "The Rabbit Hole" followed by Snow, Belle, Jefferson and Grace; he looked around and noticed the two women sitting at a table and quite far from them, the table with the two Charmings and Regina.

They approached their group but instead of letting them sit down, Regina stood up, silently asking Emma and his father to do the same.

Jefferson came to Regina, speaking softly and eyeing the table with the two women. "If you want my help just to get her to give you what you want, then why don't you take her with you, without involving me?"

His tone was dismissive and annoyed, he still hoped he could avoid that madness, because he perfectly knew that what had to come wouldn't been easy.

Regina shook her head weakly, pointing the two women with a nod of the head. "We're going to need everybody's help. We need you as a guide, Jefferson and we need her as an insurance."

"Okay, enough. What the hell is going on? Who are those people?" Emma's voice turned out to be not so low as Regina's and Jefferson's; the Queen, in fact, brought her eyes to heaven, turning only her head toward her, then going back to the two women.

Gold was the one who gave the Savior her answer, pointing first at the brunette, then at the blonde. "They are called by different names. Here in Storybrooke their names are Lily Foxx and Kitty Hare. In the Enchanted Forest, they're also known by their nicknames: The Fox and The Cat."

Emma Swan threw a startled look at Gold, but he ignored her, because now that they were all there, there was no time to lose. They approached the two women at the table, then the brunette turned to them with an amused look and a smile.

"You know, we were just betting on when you'd decided to come." No one answered the provocation, in the front line there were Regina and Jefferson, their eyes left no double interpretations, something big had happened.

Lily thought that after everything that had happened that day, such as earthquakes and giant plants that sprout from the ground, nothing more would have been able to surprise her, and instead there she was, sitting at a table staring into the eyes of someone who she thought wouldn't have ever spoke to her again.

Regina moved her eyes from Lily's to Jefferson's in a silent request to start talking and so he did as he sighed. "Lily, I have to ask you a favor. It's about a boy, he's been kidnapped and you're the only one that can help us to bring him back... we need your looking glass."

**A/N2: Hello, this is Lily! I know I share the name with my precious baby, but it's not just because I love the name, you'll see that her name is not a random choice! Okay, so… this was the first chapter, I really hope that there weren't a lot of mistakes, it's been pretty hard for me and my girlfriend to translate the whole story so **_**please, please, please,**_** let me know what do you think! There are more characters that I'd like to write about and I have at least two more aliases for Lily and one more for Kitty. As I said, the names I chose aren't random. It's quite easy for Kitty but it's really more difficult for Lily.**

**I hope to see you soon!**

**x Lily**


	2. Down The Rabbit Hole

Chapter Two: Down The Rabbit Hole

_Storybrooke, present day_.

Since the curse had been broken and Lily had regained all her memories, her life hadn't changed much, she had continued to work at the bar named "The Rabbit Hole" and to live her life with the same pace as before.

She had travelled a lot but all the people she loved the most were in the Enchanted Forest when the curse had been thrown, she also made new friends in Storybrooke and perhaps she had finally found her place in the world.

But Lily and Jefferson had known each other for a very long time, so, when he asked her a favor, she couldn't refuse.

She didn't know what to expect from the prospect of returning to Wonderland, she knew that name had deceived many people, it was true, that land had thousands of wonders but it was not safe as it might seem.

The group of people in front of her had explained the situation and within a few minutes Lily got up, followed by everyone, including Kitty, and had led them across the room to a door behind the bar, on which there was a sign that said "No entry. Authorized personnel only."

Regina was standing right behind Lily who was now opening the door lock with a key.

The former Evil Queen had been to Wonderland only once before, she went there with Jefferson and in that moment she was thinking about the irony of how now as well as once, she had been in that place to recover the person who she loved most.

At that time the only danger was her mother Cora, the Queen of Hearts, she had no idea who had succeeded her when she had left that world.

She could hardly believe that Lily had kept a precious item like the looking glass was, locked up in a dressing room of a bar, but when the other woman finally opened the door and ushered everyone, she had to think again.

That place was absolutely ordinary, it looked like a small living room. There was a table with some paper on in the middle of the room, several calculators that probably served to keep the accounts of earnings, a brown leather couch, a couple of bookcases with a closet behind the table and a small TV in front of the couch.

"It will take a few minutes." Lily announced getting closer to the cabinet; she raised her hand on the doorknob and ran her palm against the wood of one of the two little doors. A trail of light followed the movement of her hand and in the room echoed the sound of the rusty cabinet unlocking.

"I didn't know you have magic." Admitted Regina reaching Lily's side.

That thought had been formulated by various other people in the room, by Emma in the first place, who was now sitting on the couch next to her father. The others were scattered around the room, all with their eyes on the brunette , trying to figure out what she was doing.

"You didn't give me the time to tell you." She answered vaguely, as she continued to enchant the doors of the cabinet. "I came back to the Enchanted Forest just in time to be hit by your curse." When it seemed she had finished, she opened the doors and revealed what the closet contained: old clothes, old bottles of liquor and a quite capacious coffer.

Obviously, the woman bent down and using the same spell, she opened the lock of the trunk. "The looking glass has passed in the hands of many people, when it came to me and I realized what was happening, I did so it would remain in my possession but lost its magical properties. I didn't know you were moving us all in a land without magic."

Lily lifted the lid to find that inside the trunk there were at least fifty identical mirrors. The diameter of six inches, surrounded by a precious gold embroidered frame.

Snow leaned over Lily's shoulder and started to observe the multitude of mirrors, curious and a bit hesitant. "Wasn't supposed to be just one?"

The other woman nodded, picking up a mirror and studying it for a moment, before laying it at her feet and taking up another. "When the curse has been broken and I remembered who I was, I realized immediately that magic was back. The spell that I made twenty-eight years ago on the looking glass is reversible, it only served to make it look like a common mirror. This was a shrewdness instead. Fifty identical looking glasses, only one is real, if you try to enchant the wrong one, the spell will be reflected on the mirror and hit whoever cast it. "

Gold, who had taken a sit at the table, smiled weakly. He thought that the woman had been good at protecting the item. "And I guess you're the only one able to recognize it." He commented aloud without taking his eyes from his hands closed around the head of his stick.

"No," she replied immediately, "but all the people who could do it are dead. The last one has been killed by Miss Swan, stabbed with a sword in her chest, as I've been told." In her voice there was a touch of bitterness, almost sorrow.

Emma, feeling herself called into the question, looked around a little lost with her lips slightly parted, she didn't immediately understand what Lily was talking about, who in the meantime continued to study and discard mirrors, then a flash of light illuminated her mind. "Oh... wait, the dragon? The one- the one under the clock tower?"

"Maleficent" The woman corrected her, holding the seventh mirror and looking at it carefully, some of them were more accreted and she had to concentrate if she didn't want to make a mistake. "She taught me how to use magic, she showed this looking glass to me the first time and she spared my life when I wouldn't myself; I wanted to thank her once back to the Enchanted Forest but I didn't managed before the curse, and when I got my memories back I found out she was dead."

In everyone's consternation, Emma was going to replay, but Regina moved forward, speaking first. "Wait, you just said '_this_ looking glass? Is this it?"

Lily, still holding the seventh mirror, stood up nodding slowly. "Yes, this is it. I'm sure." She seemed happy to give up the subject 'Maleficent'.

She raised the looking glass, watching at her reflection, the face she saw was so different from the one that had been reflected the first time she hold the mirror in her hands. The eyes were the same, and so the pointed nose dotted with few freckles, but her look was completely different.

* * *

_Enchanted Forest, many years ago_.

Lily's bright and curious eyes were reflected in smooth surface of the looking glass.

The witch had finally allowed her to touch it, after almost seven months of apprenticeship. Obviously she couldn't use it, but for now it was enough.

She knew that it wouldn't be easy and that she had to be careful, even if she wanted to leave sooner than possible she couldn't afford to tempt fate and lose Maleficent's trust.

Over the months she gained the witch's credit, even if at the beginning she didn't thought it would have been necessary, she found out it was indispensable.

She had also learned to appreciate the witch and to know her better. It never was unpleasant to keep her company, of course she hadn't the nicest manners, but Lily had got better and now she was able to cast several spells, some of them quite complicated.

She didn't consider herself a witch, only a person able to use magic, and according to Maleficent she was quite good at it.

* * *

The witch was sitting in her lounge. The fireplace was lit, warming the room, the young pony was obediently sitting next to her owner, who was caressing its nose with a slow pace.

Two silver cups were resting on the table between the two armchairs, but Lily wasn't in the room.

It was unusual, though Maleficent. In nearly eight months as her apprentice, she hadn't been late a single day. The girl was always punctual, diligent, interested and dedicated. Nothing had changed in their relationship, except maybe that she had agreed to a wish her apprentice had expressed for a long time: to see the enchanted looking glass.

Some hours before, she had brought her to the theca where she kept several of her many treasures, showing them to her with pride. Lily didn't care much for all the wonders behind the glass, her eyes were immediately caught by the mirror and Maleficent had agreed to leave her alone for a while, if she promised to be back in time for the lesson.

She didn't even think of the possibility for her to escape, she didn't have any reason and she had explained her that once used, the looking glass would have remained where it was, leaving the traveler stuck in another world, and besides she had enchanted it with a protective spell that prevented anyone but her to use it.

She was almost going to get up and go to find out why the girl was taking so long, when the doors slammed open and the object of her thoughts appeared in the room. She wasn't holding the mirror anymore and she approached to the witch running, realizing she was late but when she turned around the armchair to sit, she paralyzed, took by surprise.

At her place, in front of the witch, was perched a beautiful white rabbit with red eyes.

She moved her eyes from the rabbit to the witch, who gave her an icy stare.

"You are late." She said pointing with her stick at the rabbit, inviting her to sit.

"I-I'm sorry. I was enchanted by the beauty of your treasures and i lost the sense of time." She approached hesitantly and lifted carefully the rabbit, that didn't seem disturbed by her, and she sat at its place and laid the animal on her lap.

It was the first time since she started her apprenticeship that they worked with a living being; usually the witch taught her basic spells, using plants or inanimate objects, natural elements, but never animals.

She taught her to create potions using different animal parts, even rabbit parts once, now that she thought about that, but Lily really hoped not to be forced to kill the poor creature to please the witch.

"What should I do with this rabbit?"

"Don't worry, you don't have to kill it. Not yet." Maleficent seemed to have read her mind and Lily sighed in relief. She wasn't sure she would ever be able to kill an innocent being, not even to reach her purposes. Probably the day the witch would asked such a thing it would have been the day she quitted the lessons, and started thinking of a way to steal the looking glass. The _useless_ looking glass, because of the protective spell, she spent several minutes trying to find in her book of magic a spell able to undo it, but it would have been too good to be true to find it so soon.

"Now I will set the rabbit free with a spell, you must ace it in the forest and take it back to me before sunset." Explained calmly the witch, stroking fondly his pony again.

"But it's impossible." She tried to protest, but Maleficent was firm.

"Nothing is impossible with magic. Now go, be back before sunset." With these words, the witch hit the floor with her stick and Lily and the rabbits were wrapped by a dense purple cloud.

The girl didn't have the time to replay because, when she opened her mouth, the smoke was gone and she was sitting on the ground in the middle of the woods; she stood up and the rabbit jumped off her lap, and with three leaps it was already far from her.

"Hey! Stop, where are you going? Come back!"

It was useless, the animal was already gone; Lily started chasing it through the forest, managing to have a glimpse of it sometimes but she couldn't reach it.

She casted a couple of warning spells to the rabbit, barely missing it the first time and striking a three the second one.

After two hours of chasing Lily was exhausted, she didn't know what to do because even when she could see it, it avoided her magic. Using a summoning charm was out of question, she would have needed some of its hair and the few on her clothes weren't enough.

She was resting with her back against a three, looking at the leaves moved by the wind, when a rustling noise caught her attention, bringing her back in alert. It could be any animal, but it could be her rabbit too.

Another noise and this time she saw it: a white paw disappearing in a bush. She run for it but she missed it, so she start chasing it again.

"Mr. Rabbit? Come here Mr. Rabbit, I don't want to hurt you, I just want to take you back to the witch." Okay, maybe this wouldn't persuade it. She took her eyes on it but it was fast, very fast. "Stop!" The girl raised her hand and move it toward the rabbit, a branch fell, missing it. It was hard to zero in in normal conditions, running was even worse.

They keep running for several minutes, but in the end she stopped, exhausted, bent forward breathless. She held her sore stomach in her hands. She lost it, the rabbit was gone and it was almost sunset; she had to go back to Maleficent bare handed. She couldn't even catch a rabbit...

While she was thinking of that, a strange noise came from somewhere behind her, she turned to find a wall of shrubs; she managed to walk through it, not without difficulties, and she stood still, looking.

There was a rabbit, a white rabbit, but it was incredible, impossible. He was standing on two legs, wearing round glasses with red lenses on his nose, he had a black hat between his ears and he was wearing a white suit, waistcoat included.

The girl couldn't believe her eyes, the rabbit was talking, complaining about being awfully late. She saw him raising his paw and doing something weird, tracing a glowing circle on the cortex of a big three. Once the circle was complete, it started glowing even brighter and enlarging, rolling like a spiral, and when it was big enough the rabbit jumped inside, disappearing.

Lily didn't think twice before following the rabbit, jumping in the vortex right before it closed behind her.

She was overwhelmed, shacked, overturned upside down and up again. She was terrified, what has she done? How could she go back home? Where was she going?

A deck of enormous cards began to spin around her, she tried to push away the cards, before grabbing one of them and sitting on it, like if it was a carpet.

She stretched on it, trying to maintain her balance, while it spin toward the center of the vortex, going faster every second. Suddenly the card started to crumble under her and she find herself grabbed to nothing once again.

She suddenly saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and she found herself pushed toward what it looked like an exit, she stretched her arms and the dazzling light embraced her. When her eyes got used to the daylight, she saw she was in a woods, not very different from the one she just came from; she was obstructing what seemed to be a rabbit hole... With some difficulties she climbed out and she managed to came out.

She looked back, but the hole was too deep to see the end. She stood up and she dusted her clothes with her hands, it hadn't been a great idea to follow the rabbit, and besides everything he was gone.

She started walking through the forest, she could hear the birds twitting and see the bugs flying. Everything looked ordinary, but she realized she had no idea of where she was. Probably she wasn't in the Enchanted Forest anymore. That was what she always wished for, but now she was scared because she didn't know what to do.

She had been planning to run away for a lifetime and now that she did it she felt completely lost; she wasn't prepared for it yet, she had planned to use Maleficent's looking glass, but she would have needed more time… now there she was, but _where_ was she?

Her thoughts went to the witch, that would have never see her coming back, then to her mother, and it became harder to bear the thought. They would get used to her absence, she thought, she never was the perfect daughter. She had always been average, it was her brother Daniel who was the perfect son, and now he and her parents could have lived happily ever after. She would be happy too, in the end, or so she kept saying herself while she walked through the thickening threes.

"If only there was a sign..." She thought out loud, and when she turned a corner, secured to a three, there were like twenty different signs.

Pity that the indications were completely useless, they said "this way" or "up" and "down"; but, on the top of the three, there was a big ensign with the name 'Tulgey Woods'.

"Tulgey Woods" She repeated, pondering for a moments standing still. No, there was no place in the Enchanted Forest with that name.

Breathing slowly, she raised her eyes. "Anybody here? I'm lost..." She called out loud, hoping for someone to hear her.

When she heard something moving ahead of her, she turned her head and saw two, big eyes staring at her through the bushes. She stood up, raising her hand and creating a fire ball. After the eyes, a toothed smile appeared from the dark.

"Who are you?" Asked the girl without lowering the hand.

"I could ask you the same question." She heard the deep, manly voice.

She waited for him to show up, but when he walked out the bushes Lily realized that he wasn't a man, but a cat. A huge, purple cat, big as an horse if not more.

"Why, why you're a cat!" The girl's disbelief made her lower her guard, and the fire in her hand died.

"A Cheshire Cat." He answered with a large grin, walking sinuously toward her, and she recoiled bumping into a three.

"I-I'm lost and… I was just wondering if you could help me find my way." Her voice was way too insecure, the creature didn't seem very friendly. Dressed talking rabbits, huge sinister cats... What the hell was that place?

"Well that depends on where you want to get to." Continued the Cheshire Cat with an equivocal voice.

Lily swallowed, Maybe if she could maintain the calm and think, she could use her cunning and make him help her; she first has to understand how to proceed. "I… Oh, it really doesn't matter. I've never been here before."

"Then it really doesn't matter which way you go." He answered back, and Lily stared him in the eyes. No, she couldn't beat him with cunning, she could read it in his look. But if he would have wanted to kill her, he would have done it already.

"I'm looking for a white rabbit. I followed him because I was curious and now I'd like to talk to him..." She tried to be polite, she even managed to smile and bow a little.

"If you'd really like to know, he went that way." He said, pointed his paw. "The White Rabbit lives not far from here, what's your name little girl?" The cat sat and licked the paw he had pointed, before rubbing it against his ear.

Lily hesitated for a moment before she answered. "Lily. My name is Lily."

"Very well Lily. Follow me." Said that, he stopped licking his paw and stood up, giving his back to the girl and disappearing again in the bush he came from. She hesitated again, she closed her eyes breathing slowly. She decided to trust him and she left the three, going into the woods again, chasing the Cheshire Cat.

* * *

_Storybrooke, present day_.

"What are we waiting for?" Asked Regina, bringing her hands at her waist and looking at Lily impatiently, waiting for her to activate the portal.

Lily emerged from her memories, nodding weakly and taking a step back, motioning Regina to do the same. "Once activated the portal we will have two minutes before it close behind us and reverts to a regular glass. Belle, you'll take it and keep it safe."

When she was sure that there was enough space before her feet, she inspired deeply and dropped the glass, giving it a roundabout boost to make it spinning on itself. Contrarily to general expectations, once it touched the ground the glass didn't break, but it expanded overflowing its golden frame and taking a fluid shape.

The silver pool reflected the faces of all the people that came closer to have a better look. "We have to jump at turns, two at a time." Explained Lily, then she turned to Jefferson who was looking the portal without convention.

When the man felt the woman's eyes on him, he nodded vigorously and turned to his daughter, bending before her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and smiled. "I've already explained to you why I need to go. I promise I'll come back soon."

"But if the mirror will stay here, how will you come back?" Asked the little girl worried, But Jefferson reassured her with a smile.

"Don't worry, I came back before, I'm sure I'll find a way to do it again." He rose trying to hide his worried expression. He knew that in Wonderland there was more than a way to come back, he hopped that it would be quite easy, Lily's presence was needed mostly for that, he thought.

He waited for Belle and Gold to greet each other, even if it looked more like a goodbye, before leaving his daughter in the girl's hands, and she promised she would take good care of her.

Emma, now standing near Snow and Charming, looked at Lily and Jefferson with both concern and impatience. Her parents were sharing a knowing look, no one of them knew what was waiting for them. Emma and Snow had fallen through a portal before and they could imagine, even if merely, what was going to happen, even if the circumstances had been different then and nor mother or daughter could know if, with a different portal also the travel would have been different.

Kitty was apart from the group, a step from the Charmings and two steps form Regina. Her face wasn't worried, she didn't really mind Wonderland. She had been there with Lily and she would have stayed if, almost 29 years before, she hadn't been forced to leave her home to return to the Enchanted Forest, just in time to be struck by Regina's curse.

Back at Lily's side, Jefferson gave her a nod of consent. The woman breathed deeply, taking the hand that the man was holding out for her, before turning around again, watching at each one of them. "There is one last thing you need to know: Wonderland is divided in two reigns. There is no borderline, but the areas are distinct. If the portal will take us to the wrong place... Well, let's hope to be lucky."

With those words, she tighten Jefferson's hold and they took the step together.

It was like a cold shower; they were being sucked by a vortex bringing them to the center of the Earth. They were not alone, Lily raised her head while her hair went crazy for the strength of the vortex.

She saw two, then three people jumping after her, and she looked back ahead of her. She wasn't used anymore to that kind of travels, she saw a chair passing quickly near her, coming from who knows where. The way to Wonderland was always full with unlikely stuff.

She saw an hourglass coming toward them and avoiding them at the last moment, she tighten the hold on his hand again, she knew they were near because she could hear the noise of the wind and the twitter of the birds. With all that spinning around she felt her stomach beginning to cede, the closer they got to the exit the quicker they fell, she closed her eyes when the dizziness overwhelmed her and suddenly they crushed heavily with their heads, then everything went dark.

**A/N:** So, here we are in Wonderland! New characters are coming, good ones and _very_ bad ones… I hope you liked it, let me know and once again sorry if there were any mistakes.

X Lily


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